Enlightening the Blade's Shadow
by Purplemoonsong
Summary: Talon has always been seen as a cold, emotionless killer. What happens when he is assigned to assassinate a well-known Ionian elder, but fails?
1. Chapter One

Karma sat in her favorite plush green chair on her balcony. The Enlightened One was enjoying the sight of a waterfall in front of her. The waterfall was not real, in fact, it was a mere illusion, but it was a perfect representation of the scenery that Karma wanted to see at that time.

She held a steaming teacup of fragrant tea in her right hand, and her left held a book bound elegantly with black leather. On the table to the right of her was a silver tray with a porcelain teapot decorated with flowers, leaves, and swirling vines, along with another dainty teacup that matched hers perfectly. On the other side of the table was another chair.

Karma was dressed in the attire she wore on the Fields of Justice: a sleeveless violet dress with a slit down the side, showing a caramel brown leg with a green tattoo of a dragon winding around it. Aside from the dress, she wore violet vambraces that complimented her dark skin beautifully. Her dark brown hair was adorned with tasteful gold ornaments, and fell neatly down her back. A gold circlet inset with a glowing emerald rested upon her head. She wore a white mantle of decorum like a pair of wings, with two dragons conjured out of her own magic circling each other between them.

All was peaceful, with Karma serenely reading her book whilst sipping her tea, with the muted sound of the waterfall in the background.

At that moment, someone knocked upon her door.

Karma sighed, but rose from her seat, setting her teacup down upon the tray gently. The book she deposited next to the tray, and she walked with stately paces towards her door.

Karma walked past the glass sliding doors and through her living room. The floor was made out of a soft green Ionian bamboo, the walls painted a simple white. Hanging on the walls were numerous paintings of places in Ionia, the largest of the capitol of Ionia, the Placidium. It hung over her rich burgundy sofas, and in front of the sofas was a low coffee table made of mahogany, with a plate of chocolate chip cookies on it.

She opened the door to see Irelia, the Will of the Blades, and Akali, the Fist of Shadow.

Irelia was dressed in her red and silver armor, what she usually wore to the Fields of Justice. Her long greyish blue hair fell down her back, and her father's sword hovered near her. She wore a mantle of decorum like Karma, except in the usual fashion, and hers was gold.

Akali was also dressed in the attire she wore onto the Fields of Justice. Her long black hair was tied back in a ponytail, and fastened with an emerald green ribbon. Her ninja style dress was of the same shade. She wore chartreuse metal gauntlets adorned with silver, and greaves of the same metal protected her legs. She wore forest green boots, and a belt with two Kai blades strapped onto it. Her mouth and nose were not hidden like they usually were.

"We're going out to a bar, Karma." Irelia announced in a firm tone. "And you _have_ to come with us this time."

"I've told you before, Irelia, I have no interest in drinking." Karma fixed Irelia with a cool stare. "Nor do I care to ever be near one of those notorious bar fights."

"Nothing will happen. You worry too much, Duchess." Irelia addressed her by her formal title.

"Regardless." Karma waved a hand dismissively. "I do not wish to go."

"You don't even need to drink! All you have to do is sit there and make sure Irelia and I don't do something stupid." Akali urged, looking at Karma pleadingly.

"Please, Duchess?" Irelia's face was all large eyes and pouting red lips. "I'll owe you one!"

Karma took a long, contemplative look at Irelia's "puppy-dog" face. Then she sighed.

"Fine, I'll go with you. But you're not making me drink anything. Clear?" Karma grabbed her shoes as Irelia and Akali nodded emphatically.

Inside, Karma had only one thought on her mind.

_It's going to be a long night._

* * *

The bar in question wasn't dingy or dark; on the contrary, it was brightly lit and highly polished. The walls were painted a pastel yellow, and even the wooden floorboards looked newly waxed. The windows were large, without even so much as a smudge on them.

In bars all over Valoran, many new alcoholic concoctions had been made in honor of different champions from the League of Legends. And they were very popular; though people still drank the slightly more traditional drinks.

Talon, the Blade's Shadow, took a sip of his drink, eying the two women in front of him warily. He was dressed in his usual garments: a royal purple jumpsuit, with two strips of leather crossing over his chest. He wore armguards and shoulder guards over the jumpsuit, along with a cape ending in sharp points not unlike his infamous blades. He wore a hood the same shade as his cape, steel boots on his feet and violet gloves on his hands. Unlike Karma, Irelia, and Akali, this was what he wore every day, even to the Fields of Justice.

Katarina, the Sinister Blade, was sitting across from him. She too was dressed in the ensemble she wore daily: a leather top, which exposed a large amount of skin, with matching leather pants adorned with an impressive array of daggers. The boots that were on her feet were studded with sharp metal spikes. The single scar running across her left eye was the only mar on the redhead's beauty.

Relaxing in a recliner next to them was Cassiopeia, the Serpent's Embrace. Her eyes glowed blue, framed by a metallic gold-green cobra's hood, set with rubies. Her hands have been twisted, warped into fearsome green metal claws. Two gold armbands, crafted to look like serpents encircled her delicate arms. Her upper body was bare, with the exception of a gold brassiere, and in the place of legs was an emerald serpent's tale. An intricately made gold belt encircled her waist, and one of Cassiopeia's hands clutched a glass of Whimsy.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" Talon asked, his voice quiet and emotionless.

Katarina tapped a lacquered red fingernail against her glass of Frozen Tomb. She sighed slightly, before leaning towards Talon.

"The Noxian High Command has deemed it necessary to assassinate a high-standing Ionian." Katarina didn't bother lowering her voice. In the noisy bar, it was quite impossible for anyone to hear what she was saying.

"Swain has personally requested that you do the job." Katarina's expression turned sour. "Your stainless record…"

Talon could hear the undercurrent of longing in her voice. What she wouldn't give to be able to go on this mission herself.

"Because of that one time you failed to obey orders." Talon's voice held just a hint of mockery in it as he raised his glass to his lips.

"How was I to know that the Demacian officer was a greater threat than that general?" Katarina snarled.

A dagger appeared in her hand, and promptly sunk several inches into the surface of the wooden table.

"Besides, I killed him, didn't I?" Katarina left the quivering blade in the table, and promptly drank the rest of her Frozen Tomb. She signaled carelessly to the bartender, indicating for him to bring her another drink.

"And you got a scar from it." Talon gestured to her left eye.

"Are we done yet?" Cassiopeia asked pointedly, trying to prevent the inevitable fight. "I'd like to go to my room."

"Just a moment, Cassie." Katarina replied, glaring at Talon. "You have no idea how lucky you are to be given this proposition, street filth. You should feel honored that Swain even requested you do this. If I were he, I wouldn't even glance at you! You're not a noble; you're just a rat off the side of the streets. If the High Command didn't ask me to persuade you, I wouldn't even be trying."

Having said this, Katarina yanked her dagger out from the table and pointed it threateningly at Talon. "Now, do you accept the proposition or not?"

"You kept that pent up inside you for a long time, didn't you?" Talon chuckled mirthlessly as he swirled his drink about.

"Shut up." Katarina hissed.

Talon raised his glass to his lips again, before setting it back down on the table. He gazed at Katarina, who looked as though she was about to knife him. A vein pulsed in her neck, showing that she was restraining herself.

"Who will I be assassinating?"

The dagger still pointed at him dangerously, but Katarina leaned back in her chair in a slightly more relaxed position. The vein in her neck was still pulsing, though.

"Why, only our favorite Duchess."

At that point, the bartender arrived with the Sinister Blade's drink. She nodded her thanks at him, before taking a sip.

_They want me to assassinate a League champion? Those fools…_ Talon tapped a finger against his glass of Ricochet, dispersing the insults forming in his head. "Why?"

"She's becoming a nuisance. Well, that's what Swain said, anyways. He wouldn't tell me anything else. Politics or something, you know how it is."

"Won't the League be upset by our assassination of one of their champions? Won't they punish Noxus?"

"They _will_ be upset, but how can they punish Noxus when they don't have a witness? Karma will be dead. Don't forget that. Dead people tell no lies, nor do they tell the truth."

"But the repercussions. What of Karma's friends?"

"The Ionians? What can they do? They can accuse us, but they can do nothing against us without real proof."

"I wasn't referring to the other Ionians."

"Then who?"

"The Fallen Angel, the Dark Sovereign, the Scorn of the Moon, the Tiny Master of Evil, and the Master of Shadows."

"They will prove no threat." She said, arrogantly, almost scoffing.

"Why so reluctant, Talon?" Cassiopeia asked. "You've killed many a person."

"It is the first time I have considered eliminating a champion of the League of Legends."

"What is your answer?" Katarina snapped, growing visibly impatient.

"I accept the contract." Talon replied, before swallowing the rest of his drink. He signaled to the bartender to bring him another glass of Ricochet.

* * *

Karma sat with her arms crossed over her chest, barely listening to her friends chatter. Her gaze swept over the numerous other people that were at the bar, and stopped on a figure sitting in the corner of the bar.

Talon.

His face was hidden under his hood, so Karma could not read his emotions. Even if she tried, she'd probably only see an emotionless mask.

Even on the Fields of Justice, Karma could never fathom what lay beyond the mask. His face was always impassive, sometimes almost bored, when he slit the throat of one of her comrades. Even when he was stabbing her in the chest and watching her die, his face would always be unreadable.

It fascinated her.

"Well, you look very preoccupied."

Karma turned around to see a drunk Akali staring at her. In her current state of inebriation, anyone could tell that she wouldn't remember anything that happened that night.

"I'm not." Karma replied.

"Yes, you are."

"No, I'm not." Karma calmly reached out and grabbed Akali's glass. "I think you've had enough for today."

Karma turned to her other friend, only to see that Irelia was facedown on the table.

"Irelia?" Karma gently shook her friend's shoulder. "Irelia?"

"I'm fine!" Irelia shot up. "I wasn't sleeping at all!"

The next moment, the Will of the Blades fell right back onto the table, and began snoring quietly.

"Okay, that's enough…" Karma muttered. "I'm going to bring you two back to your lodgings."

The walk back to the Institute of War was a long and tiresome one. Seeing Shen in the bar—he was observing other champions—Karma enlisted his help. He carried Irelia while Karma supported Akali.

Akali vomited once on the side of the road, and Irelia was unconscious for the entire walk home. But finally, the Eye of Twilight and the Enlightened One managed to get them into their respective quarters.

"Thank you for your help, Eye of Twilight." Karma said to the blue-clad ninja.

"It was my pleasure, Duchess." He bowed, stiffly. "I believe I will be on my way then."

"Of course. Surely you do not believe that I would keep you here in the cold for the entire night?"

"I do not believe that. I was merely being courteous." Shen replied, smoothly.

"Good night, Eye of Twilight."

"Good night, Enlightened One."

And in the blink of an eye, Shen was gone.

Karma chuckled slightly, before making her way to the Ionian courtyard.

The rooms—if you could call them that, they seemed far too big to be mere rooms—were all separated by allegiances. There was an Ionian wing, a Noxian Wing, three Freljordian wings—Ashe and Sejuani didn't want to be near Lissandra, and they didn't want to be near each other either—a Bandle City wing, a Bilgewater wing, a Demacian wing, a Piltover wing, a Zaunite wing, a Shadow Isles Wing, a Void wing, and a wing for everyone else. There had been some contemplation about making a wing for the two Seraphim, but both Kayle and Morgana had shouted down that idea. Morgana had also requested that her room be as far away from Kayle's as possible.

Karma made her way to the courtyard, and breathed in the fresh scent of jasmine and roses. She sat down on a cool marble bench and gazed up at the moon, hazy behind clouds.

The snap of a branch was the only warning she got.

Instinctively, Karma ducked, just as a blade went whizzing past her head and into the tree that was behind her. Karma stood, her gaze flicking around, trying to gauge where her attacker was.

"Hello, Enlightened One." The voice was cold and unemotional.

Karma turned towards the sound.

"Talon."


	2. Chapter Two

Talon emerged from the shadows. His gaze remained as impassive and unemotional as ever as he gazed at the Ionian elder that stood before him.

"So, you are here to kill me." Karma said, quite calmly, as she seated herself back upon the bench. She did not seem frightened, nor did she appear to be on the verge of attacking.

Talon gave no indication that he heard, besides a single, abrupt nod.

She… intrigued him. At this point, once his intentions were made clear, most people would be attacking him, attempting to flee, or sobbing and pleading for their life. She did none of these things.

The Blade's Shadow lunged at Karma, the blade fitted to his right forearm reaching out towards her heart. Other assassins may have relaxed at this point, sure that they would kill their target. Talon did not allow himself to do that. Even if he had not met her before on the Fields of Justice, he would not have relaxed until she lay dead.

His caution was rewarded when Karma nimbly dodged his attack. She did not retaliate, merely stood there and gazed at him.

Reaching into some hidden pocket in his cloak, Talon threw three daggers at her. Karma ducked, running to the left of her attacker. Talon, expecting this, tossed three more daggers at her, while the first batch of daggers inexplicably returned to him.

A glowing green shield enveloped Karma, deflecting the daggers. Again, she merely stood there, watching him.

Talon vanished, and the next moment, reappeared behind Karma.

He raised his blade, preparing for the kill.

Suddenly, Talon was forced away from her. He bit back a curse as he realized that it was her magic shield again, and it was forcing him away from her.

"Why don't you say anything?" Talon taunted. "Are you scared?"

Still she did not respond.

He threw a dagger at her. It impaled itself in a tree, half a centimeter away from Karma's face.

Then, he rushed at her. He sliced at her, stabbed at her, but if he was like quicksilver, she was like the wind. Always managing to be one step ahead of him, always managing to evade his attacks.

He retreated after a few moments. Both of them were tired and panting.

Talon threw another dagger at her. He could see that it would miss by over half a meter, but he was hoping it would distract her.

She did something he never expected her to.

Karma caught it.

"Fury is unbecoming for an assassin of your standards, Talon." She spoke softly, but every word was like a stinging blow to his face.

_What fury?_ He thought. _My emotions do not rule me._

The next minute, she was right in front of him, her fingers were jabbing points all over his body. When he tried to move, he found out that he couldn't.

"Pressure points." Karma said, gently. "I've immobilized you. It'll wear off after a little bit."

"What are you going to do?" Talon growled. "Kill me?"

"No." She gazed into his eyes, completely calm. "Do you know why Ionians detest killing and murder?"

"It upsets your precious balance." Talon spat.

"That is incorrect." Karma turned away from him. "We detest these things because we see ourselves in others. We are all copies of the same person: whether consciously or unconsciously, we are all trying to find our way on the path of balance. We—the Ionians—see what others could have been, and what they can be. And if we end them… then we end any hope of helping them. Some of these people have been led astray, while others… others have had no contact with the notion balance before."

Talon decided to remain silent.

"You have had no contact with balance. Ever since you were young, you've had to kill, or be killed. You had to struggle to survive. You've mastered your self-control, and you've managed to hide what you feel under a façade of indifference. And now, you feel nothing. Your façade is no longer that. It is the reality. And you use this so that no one else can 'read' you. So no one knows where you will strike next."

Talon felt his whole life being unraveled in front of his eyes. She was right. He had done this so that no one could "read" him. And what was the Enlightened One doing now? Exactly what he had always feared.

He was being "read." Even more, he was being "read" by an Ionian.

"But that is just what everyone else sees in you." Karma turned back to the assassin, and her eyes were blazing. "Do you know what I see? I do not see a fearsome assassin, I see a young man who has never been in contact with the notion of balance. Other Noxians were led off the path, desensitized so that the path of violence is their entire life. The path of violence comes easier to you, yes. But under that indifferent mask you put on..."

Her eyes softened. "Under that indifferent mask you put on are your true emotions, and your conscience. You've hidden them away for so long that you barely even remember that they are there. But I assure you, they are right here."

Karma placed a hand over Talon's heart. "Your mind rules you, Talon. And your mind is screaming at you to eliminate me, to fulfill your contract. Your heart plays no part in your life anymore. We, the Ionians, know of the balance between heart and mind. The heart and mind must be as one. If one rules over the other, then the balance is broken.

"You've killed because you had no choice. Many offered you the same choice: join or die. You had reason to dispatch them then. Justifiable reason. Now? Now you assassinate, for others. There is no justifiable reason. You kill because you are ordered to, not because _you_ are in danger, not because _you_ have a reason.

"You are familiar with the Kinkou Order. You know Akali, the Fist of Shadow. She kills, yes, but she kills to preserve the balance. Think about all those you have murdered. Do their faces haunt you at night? Do you ever think about who they could have become? Were they good people? Were any of them children?"

Karma sighed, and her hand dropped away from Talon's chest. "I can only hope that my words have had some effect on you, Blade's Shadow."

Just as she began walking away, Talon felt warmth rushing up his limbs. He could move again.

In the blink of an eye, he had crossed the distance between him and the Ionian, and the tip of his blade rested against Karma's neck.

"I could kill you now." He growled. But he could hear the lack of conviction in his voice, as clear as day.

Apparently, she heard it as well. "But you won't."

He dropped the blade, and Karma strode into her room without a backwards glance.

He gazed at her retreating back. _Why do her words have such an effect on me?_

_Is she… right?_

_No, surely not. I am an assassin. My emotions do not play a part in my occupation._

_Or do they?_

_No, I am not ruled by my emotions!_

Talon's usually clear mind was in utter turmoil as he disappeared into the night.

* * *

It was morning.

Talon was lying on his bed, staring up at the white ceiling. He was still dressed in the outfit he had worn the night before. His bedroom was relatively plain, consisting only of a king-sized bed with black pillows and sheets. The curtains on the window were crimson to match the rug. On the wall facing the bed were numerous puncture marks, and the remnants of pieces of tape. Obviously, there had been pictures there before.

And Talon? He was doing something he usually didn't have time for.

He was doing nothing.

He was just lying there.

The summoners had found out about the attempt on Karma's life. They had contacted Talon earlier that morning, and told him that he would be placed under constant surveillance until they determined that they could trust him again. He was also forbidden from leaving the city surrounding the Institute of War, and they had forced Swain to rescind the contract.

After a while, Talon heard the door to his quarters open. Then it slammed shut.

Katarina strode into the bedroom, followed closely by Cassiopeia. The Sinister Blade's face was set in a frown, but Talon could tell that it masked utter delight and triumph.

"You failed." Katarina said, coldly.

"Straight to the point, eh?" Talon was still staring up at the ceiling.

"I knew you weren't up to it. And you failed to kill an _Ionian_, too." Katarina shook her head in disgust. "I knew it. You don't deserve to be even called an assassin. You're a piteous excuse for one."

"So I failed. What of it?"

_You're not fit to be an assassin. Never let the target into your head. Never._

"-For the best. We don't need a taint on our name."

"What?" Talon asked. "I didn't hear you."

Katarina gave him an icy glare. "We're disowning you. It's for the best. You will no longer be associated with the name of Du Couteau. I'm sure my father would agree, if he were here. You've grown soft, Talon. Look at you. I can see you fighting down your anger, your disappointment in yourself. You're failing, miserably."

Talon sat up and hurled a knife at Katarina. It missed by half a meter and buried itself into the wall.

"How sloppy of you." Katarina smirked. "I had better not see you around the Du Couteau estate anymore. And don't bother trying to find my father either. He's no longer your concern."

And with that, she walked out of the room.

Cassiopeia, who had been silent for the entire time, slithered over to the Blade's Shadow.

"I'm sorry, Talon." She said, softly. "I didn't want to disown you, but you know how Katarina is. She's wanted to get rid of you ever since you set foot in our lives, and this was the perfect opportunity for her to do that. She basically made me agree with her at knifepoint."

With that, Cassiopeia followed her sister out the door.

Talon groaned, and fell back on his bed, burying his face in his pillow. _They're wrong. They're all wrong. I'm in control. I'm in control._

Emotions are a dangerous thing for an assassin. They cause a loss of control, blindness, sometimes even recklessness. To be an assassin, one had to have control over all aspects of themselves: physical, mental, and emotional. Up until the day before, Talon had that control. Now? He wasn't so sure about himself.

There was a knock on his door.

"Go away, Katarina!" He shouted.

He heard the door opening.

"I am not Katarina." A familiar voice spoke from the doorway.


	3. Chapter Three

"What are you doing here?" Talon said, coldly, turning onto his side, facing away from his visitor. "Are you here to gloat?

His visitor did not respond.

"I hope you're happy." He muttered.

"I do not take pleasure in the pain of others." Karma replied. "I heard what Katarina said."

Talon snorted. "So now you're eavesdropping on me."

Karma remained silent.

"Why are you here?" He sat up and glared at her. He noticed that she was dressed in a light blue gown that fell to her feet in soft folds, and in her arms were a bunch of herbs.

"I came to apologize for the actions that led to your disownment."

"What good is an apology? What's done is done."

"Talon, I'm here to help you." She said, quietly. "The path of balance may be foreign to you, but you are not entirely separate from it, like many in Noxus are."

"What makes you think I need your help?" Talon snarled at her. "I've never asked for your help. I don't need your help!"

The dagger he threw missed by half a meter.

Karma glanced at the knife embedded in the wall next to her. Deciding that she had provoked him enough, she left the room.

"Why would I ever need your help?" Talon muttered, though he knew that she couldn't hear him.

He buried his face in his pillow again.

_I need to find a picture of her so I can practice throwing knives at it, _he thought, grimly.

* * *

Karma held the herbs loosely as she walked back to the Ionian Wing. She had been in the main garden looking for specific plants, and was forced to walk past the Noxian Wing when she left it.

In doing so, she had heard the fiery Katarina speaking to Talon, and had seen her storming out of his room with a look of utter triumph on her face, followed by a slightly downcast Cassiopeia.

Katarina was in such a good mood that she did not even sneer at the Enlightened Ionian. Cassiopeia just looked mournful.

And now, Karma was returning to the Ionian Wing. More specifically, she was headed towards Akali's room.

She stopped in front of the door, which was undecorated besides the simple gold plaque engraved with the resident's name, and the Ionian crest.

This was customary, as every single champion's room had their name engraved on a golden plaque on the door, as well as a crest showing their allegiances, and which faction they belonged to. Those with no allegiances or factions had no crest.

She knocked thrice on the door.

"Come in!" A voice called faintly.

Karma opened the door to Akali's quarters.

Akali really liked green.

The walls of her living room were painted a faint shade of pastel green, the floor made of Ionian bamboo. Darker emerald curtains hung by each window. The couches were, thankfully, not green, but of a warmer red. The coffee table was a pleasant brown. The only decoration in the room consisted of the crest of the Kinkou Order, hung on the wall over her couches.

"I'm in the bedroom." Akali groaned. Her voice was slightly muffled.

Karma walked into the bedroom to see Akali spread-eagled on the bed, a pillow over her face. Her hands were clenched into fists, presumably from the aching that must be occurring in her head. She was in still the outfit she had worn the day before, though her long hair had come loose of the ponytail and

Her bed was a standard king-sized bed, the type provided to every champion. Her pillows were emerald green, the sheets mint-colored. The viridian curtains were drawn, and hung on the wall facing her bed was, again, the crest of the Kinkou Order. On the wall to the left hung an impressive array of weapons, all of which Akali could wield with frightening expertise.

"Not feeling too well, are we?" Karma commented.

"Remind me never to go drinking with Irelia ever again," was the muffled reply.

"I'll do so," Karma promised. "How severe is it?"

"It feels like my head is about to split open." Akali snatched her pillow off her face and hurled it off her bed. "Care to tell me what happened last night, and why you're holding a bunch of plants?"

"The plants are for your hangover," Karma explained. "I studied with an herbalist when I was young. My village may have been small, but she had enough space to keep a garden."

Akali sat up, nodding slowly. "Right. And what happened last night?"

"I will tell you if you get up and follow me to your dining room and kitchen." Karma left the ninja in her bedroom.

Akali's dining room was very much like the rest of the house. It was very empty, consisting only of a small wooden table with matching chairs. Again, the crest of the Kinkou Order was the only decoration in the room.

Karma walked through the dining room and into the kitchen. She resisted the urge to sigh with relief. Akali's kitchen was possibly the only place where green was not a dominant color.

The walls were made of white tile, and the room was filled with counters with shiny granite tops. Everything was spotlessly clean, including the kitchen appliances. The cupboards were filled with plain white porcelain bowls, cups, and saucers.

The Enlightened One quickly located the shiny metal teapot, and began to make tea for her friend.

Akali ambled into the kitchen to watch her fellow Ionian work.

"So, are you going to tell me now?" The assassin looked expectantly at Karma.

Karma began chopping up the plants that she had brought. These bits were put into a blender and liquidated.

"Irelia was unconscious last night, and you were very intoxicated," the mage replied.

"Irelia was unconscious? Oh, that's right, we did have a drinking contest."

"A drinking contest?" Karma poured the liquidated plants into a small bowl.

"Whoever passes out first loses. I don't think I need to tell you who lost."

"You don't." The Enlightened One chuckled. From a hidden pocket somewhere in her dress, she drew out a tiny glass bottled filled with a shimmery powder. She unscrewed the cap, and tilted the bottle over the bowl. A few motes of the powder fell onto the liquid, before sinking through the surface.

"What is that?" Akali asked.

"Something to make it taste better." She poured half the contents of the bowl into a mug, which she then handed to Akali.

"Drink," she said.

The ninja obediently brought the bowl to her lips, although she did so with some trepidation, and tipped the contents down her throat.

It did not taste bad, contrary to what Akali had expected. It tasted like the sweet peppermint rolls that she had loved when she was a child.

"Better?" Karma took the mug from her friend and began to wash it.

"Yes, much better." The assassin sighed as her headache began to recede. "Thank you, Karma."

"You're very welcome."

At that moment, the teapot began to whistle, signaling that the tea was ready. The mage poured the fragrant liquid into the mug, handing it to her friend. Then, she poured a mugful for herself.

"So, what happened last night? After I got drunk?" Akali asked, blowing on her tea so as to cool it down, before taking a cautious sip.

"I had to get you two back to your rooms. I could not just leave you there, and Shen happened to be sitting in the bar. I asked him to assist me in bringing you two back to your rooms."

The Fist of Shadow choked on the gulp of tea she had just taken. Coughing, she set the mug down, hastily dashing away the tears that had formed in her eyes.

"The Eye of Twilight was here?"

"Yes." Karma regarded Akali with slight amusement. "Why?"

"He must think that I have no self control. I have to do better than this." The ninja muttered sullenly, picking up her mug and gulping down the rest of the liquid, ignoring the boiling heat of the tea.

"Yes, no doubt you must." The Enlightened One set down her mug, which was empty like Akali's. "Perhaps we should check upon Irelia. I've no doubt that she has a headache just like you did."

"You go ahead first. I need to change my clothes." Akali said, before vanishing back into her bedroom.

* * *

There was a flash of steel.

A head hit the ground with a soft thump.

Talon frowned at the beheaded training dummy.

"Not good enough." He snarled at himself quietly.

Lightning fast, he leaped towards the next mannequin, stabbing it through the chest. Fake blood spurted out of the wound, but Talon was already gone. Slicing away at the circle of dummies, releasing rivers of crimson, Talon ended his practice with a dagger thrown at the last dummy.

"How impressive." A heavily accented voice called from the entrance to the training room.

Talon whipped around, his face morphing back into an expressionless mask.

Fiora stood in front of him. The Grand Duelist's short hair was swept to the left, the lock of reddish pink hair striking against the otherwise mousy brown. She was clad in a dark grey jumpsuit, with shining pieces of silver armor on top. Streamers of gold and white flowed out from under her armor, and her right hand clutched an elegant rapier. A single dagger was strapped to her belt.

"For a peasant." Fiora added, dulling the former compliment.

Talon subconsciously gritted his teeth.

_Stupid noble._ His mind hissed. _Pompous. Arrogant. What does she know? She didn't have to fight to become what she is today. Her life never depended on the fate of her duels._

"Care to spar with me?" Fiora asked.

"I thought you only fought the best." Talon replied. "If you think that I am not good enough for you, why are you challenging me?"

"You are a champion of the League, are you not?" The Demacian took up a dueling stance. "You must have some ability. And besides, the skills of a duelist must be exercised constantly."

_Some ability? _Some _ability? I'll show you ability._

"I would be _honored_ to spar with you." Talon said, the derision in his voice layered thickly upon his courteous words.

She looked around the crowded training room. "Give us some space if you do not wish to be hurt."

People edged away from the pair, but their eyes remained trained upon them.

"Stand ready!" Fiora called, before lunging at Talon.

Talon blocked the strike. Steel clashed against steel, sending sparks flying every which way.

She backed away slightly, a smile upon her face.

_This is what she lives for. _The assassin thought, before throwing three daggers at her.

Fiora ducked to the left. Talon, however, had anticipated this. He quickly unleashed three more daggers at where she would be. Fiora did not curse, as many of his opponents would have. A single arc of her blade was all it took to knock all the daggers away from her, embedding them into the ground.

"Too slow." She taunted.

"You haven't seen me when I'm fast yet." He responded.

She smirked, an arrogant half-smile that made his blood boil and froth over. Her left hand, the one not holding her sword, came up. The index finger was raised. And then she crooked the finger, beckoning him towards her.

Talon vanished, appearing behind her the next moment. Before he could rest his blade against her throat and claim his victory, her elbow met his stomach. He grunted as the air was knocked out of him, and stepped back, managing to lift his blade up to block the seamlessly executed downward strike at his neck.

Fiora spun away from him, her movements flowing from one to another like water.

He glared at the duelist. Suddenly, several knives appeared in his hand. Sweeping his arm in a circle, the blades embedded themselves into walls and the floors in a ring around him.

"You missed." She said, just as he vanished into the shadows.

"I didn't need to hit you." He retorted, reappearing behind her.

His fingers twitched and suddenly all the blades came to life, rushing back towards the assassin.

"Is this supposed to be a challenge?" She asked, mockingly, ducking down and knocking several daggers onto the ground. "Perhaps the summoners make you more powerful on the Fields of Justice just so you can attempt to rival our power."

He was slightly shocked. _No one has ever dodged my blades so easily. _Irritation had written itself on his face, and he was fighting down his anger at her taunts.

The Demacian's eyes narrowed in concentration, and she lunged towards him, her movements much quicker than before.

He could not touch her. His blade met hers, and she was gone, dancing out of his reach before striking again. He would block, and yet again she would be gone.

Suddenly, something stung Talon's cheek. His left hand reflexively reached up to touch it.

Fiora stood in front of him, the tip of her blade stained red.

"Such unrefined style." She smiled in a smug way. "You've lost your touch, Noxian."

And with that, the Grand Duelist sheathed her rapier and walked out of the training room.

Talon wanted to scream with frustration.


End file.
